Thursday, January 10, 2013

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Pantech Perception HD LTE pictured with Verizon branding `

Posted: 09 Jan 2013 02:07 PM PST

The Pantech Perception has been pictured with Verizon branding indicating the device should hid Bid Red sometime this year. Coupled with an HD display along with 4G LTE it could be a great low to mid tier smartphone option for buyers. The device will don Qualcomm’s dual core S4 processor, the same in US’s Galaxy S III, thus it certainly won’t be a slouch.

Considering its AT&T counterpart in the Discovery is $50 subsidized, I would expect the price point on the Perception to be somewhere in that area as well.

source: Unwired

Lenovo debuts their 5.5-inch Intel-powered K900

Posted: 09 Jan 2013 02:02 PM PST

Today, Lenovo has announced a new Android device in their lineup in the K900. The K900 is an Intel powered smartphone with a 5.5″ 1080p display. The device is definitely on the “phablet” section of devices right along side with the like of the Samsung Galaxy Note 2. The K900 will be protected by Gorilla Glass 2 to help it with casual drops and scratches.

Inside will don Intel's new dual-core Clover Trail+ chipset running at 32nm’s. Combined with 2GB’s of RAM this device is certainly no slouch and should fair well (specs wise) against the other current top dogs of devices. While Lenovo won’t be bringing this device to the US, I’m curious to see how it does abroad. Check out the full press release after the break!

Latest Lenovo Smartphone Pushes Design Boundaries
Top-end device packs premium performance into slimmest profile in class

LAS VEGAS – January 9, 2013: Lenovo (HKSE: 992) (ADR: LNVGY) today announced at the 2013 International Consumer Electronics Show its latest flagship smartphone, the K900, a premium smartphone with a super-slim profile whose look and feel make it a must-have for those who will see and be seen with their smartphones. A unique blend of design and performance, the K900 sports a 5.5-inch IPS screen, one of the best camera arrays available in class and a super slim 6.9mm profile, all running on an Intel® Atom processor.

"With the K900, our team has broken down the key functions of the smartphone and redesigned them from the ground up," said Liu Jun, president, Mobile Internet Digital Home, and senior vice president, Lenovo. "Rather than focus on specifications that look good on a datasheet, we've zeroed in on what consumers want and proved that for smartphone users, top performance doesn't require a thick profile. The K900 is a game-changer that looks as good as it performs."

Design
As smartphones have become ubiquitous, customer demands on "top-of-the-line" devices have increased, with design and usability growing in importance. The K900 resets the bar on these aspects. At 6.9mm, the K900 is the thinnest phone in its class by a wide margin and weighs in at a mere 162g (5.7 ounces), making it a device that unobtrusively slips into a jacket pocket or handbag. Made from a composite of stainless steel alloy and polycarbonate in a Unibody mold, the K900 manages to stay strong and look sharp while maintaining its slim profile.

The material alone is not the only aspect that has allowed Lenovo to achieve a design milestone with the K900. The rear camera array is optimized for size with a new sensor and layout that does not protrude from the case, leaving a clean, smooth rear face that doesn't snag on clothing. The design team tweaked the PCB and battery layout to reduce the space used by internal components. And the K900 is topped off by a unique "stripe" ID language that reinforces the thin body and integrates the external components.

While the K900 is certainly sleek, it does not ignore the emerging trend toward larger and clearer displays on smartphones. The K900 is one of the first smartphones in the world to combine a 5.5-inch IPS display with 1080p full high-definition resolution performance at 400+ pixels-per-inch, all under the latest, touch-capacitive Gorilla Glass 2. This gives the K900 supreme clarity and crispness along with plenty of space to capture the nuances of high-definition photos and video, as well as for viewing standard-size web pages.

Performance
Amazingly for such a sleek package, the K900 does not skimp on performance. Centered on the forthcoming Intel® Atom processor platform for smartphones, the K900 is very responsive, especially for key functions such as web-browsing and application-loading. Although Intel® has yet to release complete specifications for the new chipset, Lenovo has clearly maximized the opportunity to be the first to market with the new generation platform.

The K900's camera stands out as one of the smartphone's most distinguished features. As with other functions on the K900, Lenovo has overhauled the camera completely, and delivered a package that is truly greater than the sum of its parts. Megapixels is the first specification that many users recognize for digital cameras, and with 13MP, the K900 ranks at the top of its class in this aspect and combines this with an industry-leading, Sony® Exmor BSI sensor for what would already be considered outstanding performance.

With the K900, though, the Lenovo engineering team has gone even further. Recognizing that customers often need to take clear, flash-less photos in low-light, Lenovo has equipped the K900 with an F1.8 focal length lens, making it the first smartphone to offer such a wide aperture on its camera. Combined with its other specifications, the K900 is now a legitimate stand-in for a digital camera in a smartphone. In addition to these improvements to the rear camera, the front camera has also been widened to an 88? viewing angle, the widest available on a smartphone front camera for convenient self-photos and video calls.

Pricing and Availability1
The K900 smartphone will be available from April in China and in select regional markets soon thereafter. Pricing for the K900 will be announced at a later date.

For the latest Lenovo news, subscribe to Lenovo RSS feeds or follow Lenovo on Twitter and Facebook.

About Lenovo
Lenovo (HKSE: 992) (ADR: LNVGY) is a $US30 billion personal technology company – and one of the top two PC makers globally, serving customers in more than 160 countries. Dedicated to building exceptionally engineered PCs and mobile internet devices, Lenovo's business is built on product innovation, a highly efficient global supply chain and strong strategic execution. Formed by Lenovo Group's acquisition of the IBM Personal Computing Division, the Company develops, manufactures and markets reliable, high-quality, secure and easy-to-use technology products and services. Its product lines include legendary Think-branded commercial PCs and Idea-branded consumer PCs, as well as servers, workstations, and a family of mobile internet devices, including tablets and smart phones. Lenovo has major research centers in Yamato, Japan; Beijing, Shanghai and Shenzhen, China; and Raleigh, North Carolina. For more information, see www.lenovo.com.

Sony plans on launching plenty of 4G phones this year

Posted: 09 Jan 2013 01:39 PM PST

With Sony’s first 4G phone being debuted at CES in the Xperia Z, they plan on releasing plenty more 4G this this upcoming year. John Featherstone, the head of Sony’s mobile business operations in Oceania reportedly said that “Around 8% of our phones for 2013 will be 4G…all of them around the mid- to top-tier devices.”

With the Sony Xperia Z expected to hit several US carriers, Sony certainly has some excitement brewing in their mobile department. Will you give Sony Android devices a shot this year?

source: Gizmodo

Samsung Formally Announces The 5 Octa Processor… And Yes– The “Octa” Stands For The Chipset’s 8 Cores!

Posted: 09 Jan 2013 01:10 PM PST

 

You knew that it was only a matter of time before we saw the next wave of weapons to be used in the wonderful world of processors here at CES. NVIDIA struck first by introducing its Tegra 4 processor– then hours later, Qualcomm introduced what was presumably the chipset series to beat– and now we have yet another chipset that trumps both. Samsung has announced the newest addition to its Exynos family called the 5 Octa. There’s a special reason for the Octa branding in this newly unveiled chip: this is Samsung’s first Octa-core processor! The 5 Octa is based off the ARM big.LITTLE / Cortex A15 infrastructure and has two sets of quad cores that power the entire chipset system. The impressive thing is that preliminary tests indicate the new chipset is at least 2x faster than the fastest chips on the market. Ladies and gentlemen— you may proceed to drooling now.

At the moment, there’s no word on when we’ll see the new chipset available in upcoming devices— but we suspect we’ll see something in the upcoming Galaxy S IV or any one of Sammy’s upcoming powerhouse tablets.

 

 

Acer Iconia B1-A71 Will Cost €119 in Europe, Middle East and Africa

Posted: 09 Jan 2013 12:39 PM PST

You remember that unusually-named, but super sexy Acer Iconia B1-A71 tablet we talked about recently? Well while Acer did mention the Jelly Bean-powered tablet would have an some fairly modest internal features, it failed to mention how much the device will cost, while neglecting to tell us exactly when the device would go on sale in Europe, the Middle East and Africa— until now. It has confirmed that the devices will launch in select markets starting next week. The set price will go for €119… which is around $155 USD. Not too shabby indeed.

While you lucky folks await the arrival of the awesome tablet— why not just remind yourselves of how awesome it is by checking out the hands-on video? You’ll be glad you did.

source: Acer

 

LTE On T-Mobile A Week Or Two Away

Posted: 09 Jan 2013 12:26 PM PST

In what maybe the best news for T-Mobile customers from this year’s CES, T-Mobile CTO Neville Ray announced LTE will go live in ”a week or two.” He actually said they were hoping to get LTE up in Las Vegas in time for CES but missed it by a couple weeks. Once Vegas is taken care of, Ray said they will have “a series of LTE markets coming on line through Q1 and Q2.” Assuming the MetroPCS merger goes through, T-Mobile is planning to stretch its LTE coverage to 100 million people by the end of Q2 and 200 million by the end of the year.

The obvious question is, when are the LTE phones coming? Ray said, ”There will be a period when markets are up but we don’t have devices yet.“ T-Mobile does have one phone that can take advantage of LTE. Ray said the Samsung Galaxy Note II can be made LTE capable via an ”over-the-air software update.” He said another option for LTE on T-Mo will be “some AT&T LTE phones.” He did not mention when they would begin selling LTE phones but we’ll let you know if we hear anything… Galaxy S IV maybe? Keep up to date on CES 2013 here.

Source: PC Mag

 

Alliance for Wireless Power Reports Full Steam Ahead

Posted: 09 Jan 2013 11:35 AM PST

The Alliance for Wireless Power (A4WP) presented a state of the wireless power union of sorts from CES. Its lofty goal is to bring next generation wireless technology to the consumer electronics marketplace. The alliance formed a 30-member consortium in 2012, including Samsung and Qualcomm, and plans to hammer down a formal technical specification in 2013. If the A4WP can get enough players on board, the technology is pretty impressive. They demonstrated charging multiple devices, with different power requirements, at the same time all free of pesky wires. Check out some of the wireless charging options we’ve seen here and the rest of CES 2013 coverage here.

Press Release after the break

Alliance for Wireless Power (A4WP) Prepares to Bring Next Generation Wireless Power
Technology to Consumer Electronics Marketplace; Meets Major Milestones in 2012; Sets
Direction for 2013 and Beyond
• Applauds participation of global leaders in mobile chipset and mobile devices
• Approves and releases to members a formal technical specification
• Forms technical certification and brand development committees
• Demonstrates new wireless power technologies at CES 2013

LAS VEGAS, NV, January 9, 2013—The Alliance for Wireless Power (A4WP) today
announced completion of several key milestones that will help bring a more flexible wireless
power technology to the global marketplace. This includes growing its member base and
working with members to approve and release A4WP's wireless power specification.
Additionally, A4WP's branding committee prepares to unveil an official, go-to-market name and
logo for its wireless power specification and to launch a parallel technical testing and
certification program.

Engaging With Market Leaders in Mobile, Wireless and Automotive
Formed in May 2012, the A4WP is a global and independently operated consortium focused on
bringing a more flexible wireless power technology to the consumer electronics and automotive
marketplace. Today, the A4WP has grown to 30 members including Samsung Electronics, the
global leader in mobile devices, and Broadcom, IDT, Qualcomm and Texas Instruments, the
world's top mobile semiconductor manufactures.

A Path Forward for Wireless Power

In October 2012, A4WP's technical working committee approved its flexible wireless power
specification. On January 2, 2013, the board of directors approved the technical specification.
The specification has been published and is available to all current A4WP members.
A4WP's next generation wireless power technology will give manufacturers and industrial
designers greater flexibility when integrating wireless power into devices and surfaces, unlike
previous generations of wireless power technologies. Key differentiators of A4WP technology
include the following:
• Brings true spatial freedom to wireless charging
o Charge multiple devices anywhere on the charging area at the same time
o Charge multiple device types with different power requirements at the same time
o Charge devices without any physical contact within charge area• Better support the real world manufacturing of wireless power applications in
automobiles, furniture and other surfaces
o Meets strict form factor and operating characteristics of the most demanding
mobile handset manufacturer
• Leverages existing wireless communication technologies (e.g., Bluetooth) to help
minimize hardware requirements
• A video demonstrating A4WP's flexible wireless power can be found
here: http://tinyurl.com/b9ppdn9
Next Steps for A4WP in 2013

With the formal approval of a wireless power specification, A4WP has established a certification
working committee whose task is to define official processes and procedures to test and certify
wireless power receivers and transmitters. This will involve the coordinated efforts of wireless
power transfer manufacturers, test equipment manufacturers and leading independent test and
certification laboratories.

A4WP has established a branding committee to oversee the development of a consumer-facing
brand. This includes a formal naming convention. The new branding will allow consumers to
easily identify A4WP certified wireless power enabled devices and charging locations.
"The Alliance for Wireless Power is focused on building out a non-radiative magnetic
resonance-based wireless power transfer ecosystem beginning with the cellular and smartphone
markets," said Dr. Kamil A. Grajski, president of A4WP. "With the version 1.0 technical
specification approved, the A4WP is focused on removing barriers to adoption by the timely
delivery of high quality test and minimum performance specifications, the launch of an
independent certification program, and the definition and launch of a consumer-friendly
certification logo and consumer brand."

About The Alliance for Wireless Power

The Alliance for Wireless Power (A4WP) is an industry association open to companies
interested in advancing the field of wireless power by delivering a specification that permits
spatial freedom. The specification, based on magnetic resonance, goes beyond current charging
methods to transfer power wirelessly through surfaces to portable devices such as mobile phones,
tablets, computers, headsets, digital cameras and e-readers. A4WP combines the research and
design capabilities of some of the world's leading electronics companies to promote a
specification for wireless power technology, products and services. For more information
visit www.a4wp.org.
For media inquiries, please contact:

Chris Prouty
MWW for A4WP
cprouty@mww.com
(415) 987-5491

 

Sprint announces addition of FM radio to smartphones, new Entertain ME service

Posted: 09 Jan 2013 09:58 AM PST

Sprint issued a press release yesterday that media consumers may find interesting. First, in a new twist on the smartphone platform, Sprint announced a preliminary agreement to sell smartphones later in the year that include the capability of picking up FM radio signals. Instead of streaming a radio station over the Internet, users would have direct access using something like the NextRadio tuner application on their Android or Windows smartphone.

The second announcement from Sprint is in regard to a new service within their Sprint Zone application called Entertain ME. Sprint is trying to consolidate several services including Sprint TV & Movies, Sprint Music Plus, Spotify, Slacker, iHeartRadio, Shazam, and Rumpus. While most of these services are available as standalone apps, Sprint believes the inclusion within the Sprint Zone will make everything easier to access for the consumer.

Check out the full press release after the break and be sure to keep watching TalkAndroid for more news and information from CES 2013.

Sprint customers to enjoy local FM radio on smartphones via FM radio chip

OVERLAND PARK, Kan. (BUSINESS WIRE), January 08, 2013 – Sprint (NYSE:S) today announced a preliminary arrangement with representatives of the American radio industry that will enable Sprint customers to listen to local FM radio stations from a broad spectrum of radio companies and aggregators on select Android and Windows smartphones during the next three years. FM radio could be delivered through the NextRadio tuner application or other radio apps or services.

This announcement marks the first time a U.S. wireless carrier would offer the ability to access local FM radio on a broad array of its devices. Consumers today can listen to radio on smartphones by streaming over the Internet. As part of this plan, Sprint customers could use their smartphones and the NextRadio tuner to listen to local FM radio stations.

With the NextRadio tuner – expected to be available later in 2013 – Sprint customers would enjoy a wide range of interactive listener features not available today and would have the availability of local FM radio at their fingertips to access all forms of broadcast information. Demonstrations of NextRadio will be offered at booth 9033 in the Central hall during CES.

Fared Adib, senior vice president, product development and operations at Sprint, stated, “We look forward to bringing Sprint customers another entertainment choice through NextRadio. This new, easy-to-use service adds another dimension to the versatility of our wide array of smartphones and will deliver a new avenue for thousands of local radio stations across the country to reach our customers.”

Gordon Smith, president of the National Association of Broadcasters, said, “This opportunity combines the strengths of the Sprint network with the impact of America’s radio stations. It is the type of business-to-business partnership that recognizes the unique strengths of the wireless networks and the radio industry and provides services that are so important to the American people.”

Bob Pittman, CEO of Clear Channel, noted, “This is a great development for the radio industry, one which will help us bring the content and services that only radio can provide to the wireless system. It’s an important benefit for consumers across America, and we are pleased to participate in this effort.”

Jeff Smulyan, CEO of Emmis Communications, who acted as principal negotiator for the radio industry, added, “Today is a remarkable day for our industry. I am gratified by the unity I have seen in our industry. It seems every broadcaster I know has supported this effort, and I am grateful to the tireless efforts of industry leaders, from the largest companies to the owners of the smallest stations … all of whom have helped us reach this agreement. While there is much work to be done, today is a critical first step.”

—

Sprint Customers Access Top Entertainment Services Through Entertain ME

Intuitive Entertain ME includes Sprint TV & Movies, Sprint Music Plus, Spotify, Slacker, iHeartRadio, Shazam and Rumpus

OVERLAND PARK, Kan. (BUSINESS WIRE), January 08, 2013 – Sprint (NYSE:S) announced today the launch of Entertain ME, a service within the Sprint Zone application that provides customers using select Android™-powered smartphones a single place to discover, purchase, listen to and personalize their entertainment experience for both music and mobile TV. Entertain ME features Sprint TV & Movies and Sprint Music Plus and mobile entertainment leaders Spotify, Slacker, iHeartRadio, Shazam and Rumpus.

“Entertain ME makes it easy for customers to search for, listen to and watch what they want, and Sprint’s unlimited data plans mean customers don’t have to worry about surprises on their monthly bill from data overage charges like they might with shared data plans from AT&T or Verizon,” said Fared Adib, senior vice president, product development and operations at Sprint. “Entertain ME also delivers a great discovery mechanism for the third-party services we feature there.”

“We are delighted to be a part of Sprint’s Entertain ME service,” said Brian LaKamp, president of digital media for Clear Channel Media and Entertainment. “We’re committed to being everywhere our listeners want us to be, and Sprint’s service makes it even easier for users to discover and download iHeartRadio.”

“Shazam is excited to be a part of the launch of Entertain ME with Sprint, giving its customers access to the industry’s fastest tagging and best media engagement for music and television,” said David Jones, executive vice president of marketing, Shazam.

Sprint services enhance customer experience

The popularity of apps and the time spent using them is rapidly increasing – the average number of apps on U.S. consumers’ devices increased 28 percent last year, from 32 apps in 2011 to 41 in 2012.*

“Now more than ever, it’s important to offer our customers helpful ways to make the most of their smartphones and the apps and services it can offer,” said Adib. “Entertain ME is another in a line of Sprint services incorporated into smartphones, such as Sprint Zone and Sprint ID, that brings Sprint customers tools to easily personalize and enhance their mobile experience.”

Sprint Zone on Android-powered smartphones and iPhones delivers customers easy access to information about their Sprint account, Sprint Guardian safety and security apps (for Android users), tips and tricks for their particular device and more.

Sprint ID, available on more than 22 Sprint Android-powered devices, allows customers to instantly download a package of applications, widgets, ringtones and wallpapers with contents to fit their lifestyle and interests. ID packs may have a theme or be brand-specific, including ESPN, MTV, CMT, Disney Channel, E! and OWN (Oprah Winfrey Network).

Entertain ME facts

Located within Sprint Zone on Sprint Android devices, Entertain ME provides search, online and offline playback for music and access to live and video-on-demand content via Sprint TV & Movies. The service will continue to evolve with more content. Entertain ME includes:

Sprint TV & Movies: More than 15 channels of live breaking news and daytime, primetime and kids’ entertainment, including full episodes of popular primetime TV shows and live sports from ESPN, including the NBA, MLB, college football and basketball. Customers can access Sprint TV & Movies using the unlimited data included with Sprint Everything data plans. Sprint TV & Movies is powered by MobiTV.
Sprint Music Plus: The official Sprint Music Store for music tracks and full album downloads, ringtones, and ringback tones. Millions of DRM-free music tracks and tones from all major artists updated daily. LiveWire Mobile is the service provider for Sprint Music Plus.
Spotify: On-demand unlimited music for premium users and customized radio for free and premium users, Spotify provides access to approximately 20 million songs by searching for artists, albums, titles, labels and genres, and gives users access to tracks from many major and independent labels.
Slacker: Offers millions of songs, hundreds of expert-programmed stations, and news, sports and talk from ABC and ESPN. Listen to free service or subscribe to enjoy deep customization, offline listening and on-demand access to millions of songs and albums.
iHeartRadio: An all-in-one, free digital service that offers access to more than 1,500 live broadcast and digital-only stations from more than 150 cities, plus user-created Custom Stations inspired by favorite artists and songs. Coming soon to Android phones, iHeartRadio will launch its “Perfect For” feature, allowing listeners to browse through a menu of moods and activities perfect for a particular day and time.
Shazam: Discover, explore and share music and TV. For music, identify songs in as little as one second, preview or buy the track, and get streaming lyrics, YouTube videos and more. With TV shows, use Shazam anytime for music, celebrity buzz, trivia and more.
Rumpus: Music discovery service allows customers to navigate through the millions of tracks available, find new artists, learn what has influenced their favorite bands and singers or simply find new tunes they love and create new playlists. Rumpus was developed by Sprint Music Plus service provider Livewire Mobile.

Everything Data plans

Everything Data plans start at just $79.99 per month (taxes and fees excluded) with Truly Unlimited data, text and calling to any mobile all while on the Sprint network.

Sprint is continuing its history of data leadership by making it easy for its customers to use data in all the ways that are useful to them, such as music, TV, news, email and GPS navigation, without worrying about data overages on their monthly bill.

Hands on with LG Google TV [Video]

Posted: 09 Jan 2013 09:42 AM PST

In case you thought LG’s push to infiltrate your house was limited to the kitchen and laundry room with their Smart House appliances, they also showed up at CES 2013 with some hardware for your favorite television viewing area. The new LG television uses version 3 of Google TV to provide access to both “live” tv channels as well as a host of online video services. LG has updated the remote control for the TV with some new button locations and a full QWERTY keyboard on the back of the remote. The remote can also be used for voice entry purposes.

Check out our hands on video after the break to see how the new LG TV works.

Click here to view the embedded video.

Check out all the CES 2013 news from TalkAndroid by clicking here.

Hands on with the LG NFC enabled smart oven [Video]

Posted: 09 Jan 2013 09:28 AM PST

More hands on video with some of LG’s Smart House appliances that were officially introduced at CES 2013. Earlier we checked out the LFX-31995 smart refrigerator from LG. We also got to take a look at the smart oven that LG had on hand. Using the LG Optimus smartphone for demo purposes, we see some of the features available with the LG app and how it interacts with the oven. For this appliance, LG is not only using Wi-Fi, they are incorporating features that take advantage of NFC capabilities found in newer smartphones.

Check out our hands on video after the break.

Click here to view the embedded video.

For more CES 2013 news, click here.
Posted by at 6:45 AM

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